There’s nothing more daunting than not knowing where to start, especially when it comes to big house projects… right before you plan to put your home on the market. Tackling the long to-do list of cleaning the house, purging the items you don’t need, and organizing the ones that you do can seem unmanageable, especially on top of the whole selling your home thing but it doesn’t have to be.

Take a deep breath (really, do it right now) and think about the end goal of selling your home. Then, grab a pen and paper (or use your phone) and start making a list of every task. The satisfaction that comes with crossing something off your list is like no other, and the more accomplished you feel, the more ready you’ll be to tackle the next item on the list.

Are you thinking about putting your home on the market but you’re not sure where to start? Here are inexpensive things that you can start on today to help you get your home ready to sell.

Make the Right Decisions

Deciding where to start when getting your home ready to sell can be overwhelming. And if you watch a lot of HGTV you might be under the impression that you’ll need to remodel your house from top to bottom to sell it. The reality is homes sell every day in every possible condition, from homes that look like they could be featured in Architectural Digest to homes that haven’t been updated in 40 years and everything in between.

When deciding what to do to get your home ready to sell you’ll need to make good financial decisions. You wouldn’t want to make a $5,000 upgrade to your home if it only increases the value by $2,000, for example. You’ll also need to factor in how much time you have to get your home ready and your budget. A short window to prepare may mean that you can only tackle the basics. If you only have a week to get your home ready to sell you may only be able to do a little bit of organizing and cleaning given the time restraints.

Homeowners face a lot of unknowns when it’s time to sell their home so there are a lot of questions. You’ll need to know how much your home is worth, how much it will cost to sell your home, how to get your home ready to sell, how to reach buyers, what happens after a buyer’s offer is accepted, and whether you should list your home for sale first or find your next home first. Here you’ll find the answers to 9 of the most common questions that I hear from home sellers. This is Part I of a three part series.

This is Part II of a three part series. This section covers getting your home ready to sell, leaving negotiation room in the asking price, and whether or not you’ll need to have an Open House. Part I of this series covers determining your home’s value, online estimates, and the costs of selling a home. Read Part I. Part III of this series covers what to do if your house doesn’t sell, what happens after you’ve accepted a buyer’s offer, and what you’ll need to know if you’re planning on buying a new home at the same time that you’re selling your current home. Read Part III.

This is Part III of a three part series. This section covers what to do if your home doesn’t sell, what to expect after you’ve accepted a buyer’s offer, and timing the sale of your current home with the purchase of your next home.

1. You Don’t Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression

Photos will be the first thing potential buyers see. Since home buyers are shopping for homes online, and getting alerts of new listings that match their criteria, the first time any buyer or agent will get a glimpse of your home will be the listing photos. Most people are perusing listings while they’re doing other things like standing in line at the store, riding the train to work, or watching TV. People will typically make a decision about whether or not they like a house within just a few seconds, often after seeing only 3-5 photos. If the photos don’t catch their attention they’ll simply swipe the screen and move on to the next listing. A professional photographer who understands lighting, angles, and composition will ensure that your home looks it’s best in the photos.

In January 2019, 38 homes sold in Roxborough and Manayunk. The same number of homes sold in January of 2018. We should expect to see a similar number of homes sold in February. In March, we can expect to see the number of homes sold double which makes February a very good month to put a home on the market since sold homes are an indication of buyer activity within the month or two before those sales are completed.

Home Values Are Up

The median sales price of re-sale homes sold in January 2019 is $238,250 compared to a median sales price of $225,000 in January of 2018, a 6% increase over the same time last year. The number of active listings decreased significantly from 251 active listings in January 2018 to 143 active listings in January 2019. These are indications that we can expect to be in a seller’s market over the next several months if things continue on the same path. Last Spring we saw a moderate seller’s market and the indications are that this coming Spring will be a strong seller’s market.

Sid and Joe were getting ready to sell their home near Gorgas Park in Roxborough and were looking for a Realtor® to help them through the process. In our first conversation Sid had told me that she had seen my video on the Upper Roxborough Reservoir Preserve and reached out to me because they wanted to work with someone who knows and cares about the neighborhood and who does things like using video to help promote the neighborhood to the people who are most likely to love living in the area. Continue reading “Sid and Joe | Roxborough Home Sold”→

If you’re thinking about selling your home or holding onto it and becoming a landlord, you’re not alone. Whether to keep a home as a rental investment or to sell it is a common question. Oftentimes, the decision to sell or rent the home comes down to finances. If you’re planning on buying a new home your lender may require that you sell your home. Here’s what homeowners who are thinking about selling or renting need to know and what they need to consider.

Having your home prepared for home your home inspections will make the process go more smoothly and prevent some easily avoidable delays. When an inspector is unable to inspect certain items due to lack of access the inspector may need to come back for another visit, for example. Here’s a list of common items that will help you to have your home ready . . .